Q: Something ate my roses! They bloomed so nicely, then, all of a sudden, the buds and leaves disappeared. I thought that maybe rabbits got to it because they eat everything else, but my climbing rose was affected as well. I have a fence to keep the rabbits out, but I think it might be something else.

A: It sounds like you are being visited by deer. Deer really like roses, and they don’t seem to be deterred by the thorns. They can be extraordinarily destructive, eating through an entire garden in one night. They especially like tender new growth, but will eat almost anything.

You don’t say how tall your rabbit fence is, but I’m guessing that it’s probably not tall enough to exclude deer. The most effective protection against marauding deer is a fence that is at least 8 feet high. There are many deer repellents, but they will lose effectiveness over time. Some of these include motion-activated sprinklers and noise-making devices, bags of human hair, strongly-scented soap, and mountain lion urine (don’t ask me how they collect this. I don’t recommend trying this on your own!). If you can’t erect a tall fence around your entire property, you can protect individual plants with heavy wire cages.

Or you could find some nice venison recipes…

Q: Some of my plumeria suddenly started losing their new leaves, then the branch tips started to rot. I pruned away the affected branches and now the new growth is curled and disfigured.

A: Plumeria is a very popular plant because it provides lovely fragrance and is undemanding. It does, however, demand good drainage. Many growers advise planting in cactus mix because plumeria will not tolerate soggy roots. Rot at the branch tips is most likely caused by wet roots.

Plumeria is also susceptible to giant whitefly and six-spotted spider mite. Both pests will cause leaf curling and deformity. Spider mites will leave a fine webbing, especially on new growth. The mites are very tiny and difficult to see without magnification. They can be controlled by treating with a light horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Giant whiteflies usually leave a sticky residue and the insects are visible on the underside of leaves. Treatment includes removal of affected leaves and spraying with a water jet to remove insects from remaining foliage.

Q: Something is eating my avocado leaves. What could it be, and how do I stop it?

A: Your photograph shows two avocado leaves. One leaf has some surface damage, and there are spots where there is only a thin membrane of leaf tissue. The other leaf shows more extensive damage on the leaf margins.

Omnivorous loopers are a common pest for avocado trees. Young larvae will eat new, tender leaves and will eat only the surface, leaving a thin membrane of leaf tissue. Older larvae will eat the entire leaf. Sometimes they can damage the surface of fruit, scarring the skin. The loopers can often be found on the underside of leaves.

The good news is that omnivorous loopers have many natural enemies. If you refrain from spraying insecticide, spiders, predatory wasps, parasitic wasps and at least five fly species will soon feast on your unwelcome guests.

Laura Simpson has been a master gardener since 2002, and a master food preserver since 2015. She and her husband, Jim (also a master gardener), live near Temecula in an ordinary tract home. Their edible landscape consists of an ever-changing variety of fruit trees, herbs and vegetables. Together, they have five children. Laura frequently speaks on gardening and food preservation topics, including vegetable and herb gardening, edible landscaping and food safety. Before joining the master gardener program, she worked in the biotech industry and in biomedical research. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular biology from UC San Diego.

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